MODIULE 1

EPITHELIUM
I. SIMPLE OR NON - STRATIFIED EPITHELIUM
Epithelium 1. SIMPLE SQUAMOUS
- fundamental tissue - flattened, irregularly shaped
- Component cells are arranged intimately - Pavemented epithelium
- With very scanty intercellular substance - Cohesive bonding - junctions do not break
- Numerous cells = SHEETS
Simple Squamous Epithelium
- LINES surfaces and body cavities
- NO BLOOD VESSELS (AVASCULAR) Lining surfaces (diffusion)

- Keratin intermediate filaments* - Vessels

- Polarity
- Mesothelium (Digestive organs - alveoli)

- Endothelium (BV)

- Mesenchymal epithelium

Proximal end = FREE (facing lumen) - Bowman’s capsule of glomerulus; Loop of Henle

Distal end = attached to BASEMENT MEMBRANE - Peritoneum

- Lymphatic vessels
Connective tissue propria 2. SIMPLE CUBOIDAL
- Beneath basement membrane - Secretion, absorption, and excretion
- Provides nutrition to epithelial cells VIA DIFFUSION - Nucleus - round and centrally located
and OSMOSIS - Found in small ducts/tubules

Described by: Simple Cuboidal Epithelium

Shape Description - PROXIMAL CONVOLUTED tubules of kidney

- Small ducts of exocrine glands

Squamous Flattened cell - Surface of ovary

- Rete testis
Cuboidal Equal height, width, 3. SIMPLE COLUMNAR
and length - taller and columnar (length>width)
Columnar Tall cells with greater - Nuclei - elongated, located towards base=
length POLARITY
- Striated cuticular/BRUSH BORDER = increase
Classified as: surface area for absorption

Shape Description Simple Columnar Epithelium

Microvilli
Simple One layer of cell - ABSORPTIVE surfaces in Small Intestines

Goblet cells
Stratified Multilayer - SECRETORY surfaces in Stomach

- Modified columnar cell

Pseudostratified Appears multilayered - polarity; basally oriented nucleus

but is made up of ONE - Apical portion = GLYCOPROTEIN NUCLEUS

LAYER (released by exocytosis!!)

- RESPIRATORY and GI TRACT

- Terminally differentiated (no further division)

NOMENCLATURE OF EPITHELIUM Protection

1. Number of cell layers - from corrosive secretions from stomach

2. Shape of cell on the FREE SURFACE CILIATED

3. Special features - FALLOPIAN TUBES

- EFFERENT DUCTULES of TESTES

- CONDUCT oocyte and sperm

(gallbladder, collecting ducts of kidney, endocervix)

MODIFIED: NEUROEPITHELIUM (TASTE BUDS)

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II. PSEUDOSTRATIFIED COLUMNAR w/ CILIA 2. STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS KERATINIZING

- single layer of cells that looks multilayered - MORE protected; Basement layer constantly
- All cells rest on BASEMENT MEMBRANE, nuclei- undergoes mitotic division
disposed at different polarities - Pushing cells upward: Topmost layer = Flattened cell
- Different from TRUE stratified epithelia NO NUCLEUS
- Pseudo exhibits POLARITY of nuclei (2/3 in
Stratified Squamous Keratinized Epithelium
basal)
- CILIA is NEVER PRESENT IN TRUE STRAT!!!! Palm of Hands

Skin
Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium

• CILIATED 3. TRANSITIONAL EPITHELIUM

Airways of respiratory system
- Topmost layer: dome shaped; Umbrella shaped
- Trachea
- ELASTICITY
- Bronchi

- NO NASAL TRACT
- Can be stretched and intercellular connection will
- Cleans the inspired air and transport not break
mucus and particulate matter to oral - Urothelium
cavity for expulsion
- FUNCTIONAL: Allows distensability or URINARY
• GOBLET CELLS present too
ORGANS
• STEREOCILIA
- Epididymis
Transitional Epithelium
- Vas deferens

- ABSORB FLUID Lower URINARY TRACT

- Renal pelvis

- Ureters

III. STRATIFIED or COMPLEX EPITHELIUM - Bladder

- has two or more layers - Urethra

- Functions mainly for PROTECTION
4. STRATIFIED COLUMNAR
STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS - Rare

1. S T R AT I F I E D SQUAMOUS NON Stratified Columnar Epithelium

KERATINIZING
Urethra in males
- basement layer constantly undergoes mitotic
division; Pushing cells upward: Topmost layer =
flattened nucleus and cell 5. STRATIFIED CUBOIDAL
Keratin: additional protection from abrasion, - very limited
dessication, and bacterial invasion - Only in ducts
- Only in 2-3 layers
Stratified Squamous Non-keratinized
Epithelium Stratified Cuboidal Epithelium
Vagina
Lining of larger excretory ducts of the exocrine
Esophagus
glands

Anus
• SALIVARY GLANDS
Cervis

Vulva
** SOME EPITHELIUM — SPECIALIZED EPITHELIAL CELLS
Glans penis
• SENSORY PERCEPTION (NEUROEPITHELIUM -
Cornea TASTE BUDS) — chief cells surrounded by
supporting cells made up of columnar and basal cells
• SECRETORY in NATURE (GOBLET and
GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM)

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SPECIALIZED EPITHELIAL CELLS

Morphology of Gland
1. GOBLET CELLS
- modified COLUMNAR EPITHELIAL CELLS Simple tubular Large Intestine
- Synthesize and secrete MUCUS - straight lumen
- Cytoplasm: packed with RER and few mitochondria
Simple coiled Tubular Sweat glands
- Apical cytoplasm: MUCIGEN GRANULES
- When combined with water = MUCUS! Stomach

Simple Branched Tubular

(SECRETED VIA EXOCYTOSIS) Gastric glands
- Lubrication
Simple Acinar Mucus-secreting
Goblet Cells - In the form of POCKETS in glands of PENILE
epithelial surface urethra
- SECRETORY surfaces in Stomach

- Modified columnar cell

Simple branched acinar Sebaceous glands
- polarity; basally oriented nucleus
- several secretory acini
- Apical portion = GLYCOPROTEIN NUCLEUS emptying into one duct
(released by exocytosis!!)

- RESPIRATORY and GI TRACT Compound Branched Brunner’s glands of

- Terminally differentiated (no further division) Tubular duodenum

Compound Acinar Pancreas - ducts

2. GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM
Compound tubulo- Submandibular
Glands
acinar salivary glands
- clusters of cells
- Arise from INVAGINATION of the surface
epithelium
Means of Secretion
Classifications:
1. EXOCRINE GLAND Merocrine Glands Eccrine sweat glands

- secretory product is released via a DUCT - Most common

Intestinal Gland

connected to epithelial surface - Secretion by Exocrine Pancreas

- SECRETORY PORTION & EXCRETORY PORTION EXOCYTOSIS

- Maintain integrity of
cells throughout
EXOCRINE GLAND
process
According to NUMBER OF COMPONENTS:
Apocrine Glands Mammary glands

Unicellular Exocrine Gland

- discharge of Odiferous sweat
- Goblet Cell
glands

MEMBRANE BOUND
Multicellular Exocrine Gland

- Parotid gland
VESICLES with
- Submaxillary gland secretions

- Part of cell is released

According to SHAPE/MORPHOLOGY
- PINCHED off
SIMPLE (colon, stomach, eccrine sweat glands)

COMPOUND (seb. glands, brunner’s glands, Holocrine Glands Sebaceous glands

small salivry glands, prostate
- discharge of WHOLE/
- TUBULAR (straight down)
ENTIRE secretory cells

- ACINAR (dilated end) - Cell itslef will

disintegrate to release
Means of Secretion

product

Merocrine (exocytosis)

Apocrine (pinched off vesicles)

- New cells will be
Holocrine formed

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b. Adhering belt/Zonula ADHERENS

TYPES of SECRETION
- located below zonula occludens
Serous Glands Parotid glands
- Junctional complex; adjacent plasma
- ACIDOPHILIC granular Pancreatic glands membrane = parallel with an Intercellular
cytoplasm
GAP (15-20 nm wide)
- Round nucleus
- Filled
with FINE FILAMENTOUS
- Narrow lumen
MATERIAL OF MEDIUM ELECTRON
- Intercellular canaliculi DENSITY
CADHERINS
Mucus Glands Submaxillary glands
- span the plasma membrane
- slighlty BASOPHILIC Sublingual glands

(Transmembrane)
reticulated cytoplasm

- Bind to identical cadherin on adj. cells

- Flat nucleus pushed to
- CYTOPLASMIC TAILS
basement membrane

- bind to ANCHOR PROTEINS

- Wide lumen

- Bind to ACTIN MOLECULES

- No intercellular
Intracellular component: Electron-dense plaque on
secretory canaliculi

- cytoplasmic side of plasma membrane

Presence of
c. Desmosome/MACULA adherens (FEET)
DEMILUNES - (serous
- small discoid structure
cells which cap the
- Utilize transmembrane proteinL
MUCUS ACINI (half
CADHERIN
moon))
- Filaments within cell: Keratin Intermediate
Sublingual (mostly filaments
mucous)
- long axis PERPENDICULAR to BASAL
BOTH
Submandibular/ LAMINA
Submaxillary Glands - Bipartite structures; Plaque like local
2. ENDOCRINE GLANDS differentiation of apposing membrane
- Ductless - Cytoplasmic surface: dense plaque- pass
- Release via Blood vessels cytoplasmic TONOFILAMENTS embedded
- Surrounded by clusters of Blood vessels in MODERATELY DENSE MATRIX
- Tonofilaments CONTRACTILE = Cytoskeleton
ENDOCRINE GLANDS - converge and form HAIRPIN LOOPS
Thyroid Gland (Follicular endocrine gland) in dense layer and turn back into
Anterior pituitary gland
cytoplasm
Adrenal gland
d. Gap junctions
Islets of Langerhan - COMMUNICATING junctions (nexus)
————————————————————————
- Cell-to-cell communcation
MEMBRANE SPECIALIZATION of EPITHELIUM
- Coordination of cellular activities
- Passage of small molecules
1. Intercellular Surfaces
- CONNEXONS
a. Tight junctions/Zonula OCCLUDENS
- immediately beneath the luminal surface - passage of inorganic ions
- Membranes of adjoining cells converge - Transmembrane channels
- Outer leaflet fuse serving to CLOSE - Made up of 6 Transmembrane
proteins (CONNEXIN)
INTERCELLULAR SPACE
- - ALIGNS WITH A CONNEXON
Continuous circumferential band
- Prevents free passage of substance across of neighboring cells to form
epithelium and extracellular passage of HYDROPHILIC CHANNELS
material from its surface to base of cell between two cells

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2. Basal Surfaces
a. Hemidesmosome
- Transmembrane protein: Integrin
- Will bind to laminins of BM
- Filaments within cell: Keratin intermediate
filaments
- Hemi-half desmosome
- Morphologically half or spot desmosome
joining epithelial cells to the underlying basal
lamina and connective tissue

LUMINAL SPECIALIZATIONS
1. Cilia
- motile structures
- Project from apical surfaces of epithelial cells
- RESPIRATORY
- FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT
- E/M
- core structure: AXONEME (9+2)
- Longitudinal MICROTUBULES
- Transverse section
- 2 central MICROTUBULES with 9 doublet
periphery
- 9+2

2. Microvilli
- striated or BRUSH BORDER
- Minute vertical projections of luminal plasma
membrane
- Increase surface area
- Absorption
- STRIATED BRUSH BORDER - light microscopy
- Cytoplasmic core:
- Actin myofilaments (MICROFILAMENT)
- Insert into the terminal web
- Specialization of actin cytoskeleton lying
beneath microvili

3. Stereocilia
- LONG PYRIFORM TUFTS OF MICROVILLI
- Projects into the lumen
- EPIDIDYMIS
- Absorption

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